Animal Circuses News

Find below local Australian news and other circus related stories. These stories are sourced from external newspapers, government websites, and other third parties. All care is taken to ensure the accuracy. Please refer to the source (listed with each story) for further information.

Taronga Conservation Society Australia Director, Guy Cooper, has announced that ex-circus elephants Arna and Gigi will live together at Taronga Western Plains Zoo.

Following expert health and behavioural assessments by Zoo elephant managers from across Australia it was decided that Arna and Gigi should stay together and that Taronga Western Plains Zoo was the best location for these older elephants.

They will live with Taronga Western Plains Zoo's Asian Elephant, Burma, with whom they have already formed a relationship, in the purpose-built exhibit next to the Zoo's two African Elephants.

Mr Cooper said: "Some people don't realise elephants are complex and intelligent animals with different personalities, making it imperative that we made sure these animals got on and were happy together before a decision was made for their future."

"If we hadn't had such vital expertise available to make these assessments properly, it would have been like putting strangers together for the rest of their lives without knowing whether they enjoyed each other's company."

Arna and Gigi had not received the regular veterinary available to elephants in the zoos and part of the assessment process was to check the two elephants' health given their advanced age. They are 50 and 53 respectively.

Mr Cooper said: "Here is the immense value of regional zoos working together to make these decisions carefully and in the animals' best interest. For unqualified outside agencies and individuals to make premature, ill-informed and emotive demands about the elephants' future is quite wrong and potentially cruel."

"As Arna and Gigi had a long relationship, it was important that they be given time to settle in and then for zoo experts to be guided by the elephants' behaviour in their decision on the best future for these two animals."

Arna, Gigi and Burma have been swimming in their pool together, touching trunks and sharing food, rapidly creating the sort of relationship that elephant society establish. Arna has quickly assumed the role of senior female.

Australasian zoos will continue to work together on caring for and making recommendations for the aging elephants in zoos and circuses in the region. This is another excellent outcome from the regional Guidelines for Management of Elephants in Australasian Zoos, established in 2004.

The Guidelines cover the care and management of all the elephants in the region, to ensure the very best quality of life for the elephants no matter what their stage of life.

Regional zoos are already involved in eight in situ programs for wild Asian Elephants across Asia, in addition to the breeding program in Australia in support of the species which is much more endangered than its African relations.

PETA exposes Ringling Bros Cruelty

Thanks to PETA's ongoing campaign against documented appalling abuse of elephants in Ringling Bros Circus - 'the saddest show on earth' as PETA rightly calls it - the largest circus in the US has been compelled to answer charges for routinely beating elephants with bullhooks. (PETA has videotaped lame elephants limping out of Ringling's train cars.)Source:View full story

Bolivia first country in the world to ban wild and domestic animals from travelling circuses

Animal Defenders International (ADI) is delighted that Bolivia’s President Evo Morales has signed a new law to end the use of wild and domestic animals in travelling circuses.Source:Animal Defenders websiteView full story

Time to end this exotic circus farce

A LION sits looking forlorn in a cage while its companions pace up and down, menaced by dogs teasing them outside their enclosure. Source:Daily TelegraphView full story

Brazil states proceed with bans

GREAT NEWS - BRAZIL BEGINS BAN ON ANIMALS IN CIRCUSES!
Brazil continues to push forward, making sanctuary here more needed than ever.
The state of Goias just banned the use of animals in circuses making it the 11th out of 26 states in Brazil to pass such a ban.Source:xView full story

Ipswich City Council Bans Circuses with Exotic Animals

Local councillor Paul Tully said the council had voted 6:5 to support a ban, making Ipswich the first council in Queensland to outlaw circuses with exotic animals.Source:Animals AustraliaView full story

Lismore Council cracks the whip on circuses

Lismore City Council will send a clear message that cruelty to animals will not be tolerated in the shire after they voted 6/3 to ban animal circuses from Council-owned land.Source:The Northern Rivers EchoView full story

Circus elephant in the middle of jumbo row

A jumbo-sized dispute has broken out over the living conditions of New Zealand's only circus elephant.Source:stuff.co.nzView full story

Driver dies as bus hits escaped circus elephant

A BUS has crashed into an escaped circus elephant on a highway in Mexico, killing both the vehicle's driver and the unfortunate animal.Source:news.com.auView full story

60 Minutes - The Sanctuary

They're remarkable creatures. Social, intelligent, at times, very human. And just like humans, elephants experience many complex emotions. Which makes our heartless treatment of these beautiful animals all the more confounding. Hunting them to extinction, forcing them to perform in circuses, locking them up in zoos.Source:60 MinutesView full story

Protestors urge city council to ban circus

AN animal welfare group have urged Derry City Council to consider banning animal circuses from performing in the city.Source:Londonderry SentinelView full story

Auckland City Council applauded for Rodeo Ban

Rodeos are no longer welcome in New Zealand’s largest city.Source:Animal CircusesView full story

Music Video made about Topsy the Elephant who was purposely electrocuted to death

Award winning Australian animator makes a music video about the tragic story of Topsy The Circus Elephant who was deliberately electrocuted in 1903.Source:emailView full story

Elephant, camels freed with Jaws of Life

What animals have to endure for our entertainment: Three circus animals had to be rescued by volunteer firefighters after the transport truck carrying them overturned.Source:CTV.caView full story

Circus Lawsuit Moves Forward

Animal activists have a new reason to complain about how the circus treats its elephants and other animals. A federal judge says the animal groups can now move forward with a blockbuster lawsuit. Click here to hear an interviewSource:George Knapp, Chief Investigative ReporterView full story

CAMDEN Circuses face exotic animal ban

CAMDEN Deputy Mayor Cindy Cagney will ask the council to seek a report on banning from the area circuses using wild and exotic animals.Source:Macarthur ChronicleView full story

ADI: Peru set to lead South America with animal circus ban

A year after launching a devastating exposé of the treatment of animals in circuses in South America, Animal Defenders International (ADI) stands on the brink of securing legislation to end this shocking abuse in Peru and Bolivia.Source:Politics.co.ukView full story

Elephant kills three in India temple rampage

A WOMAN was among three people killed as an elephant ran amok at a temple.Source:Daily TelegraphView full story

Circus Whitewash

The British government's failure to end cruelty to circus animals makes a mockery of the Animal Welfare ActSource:The GuardianView full story

ASPCA demands cancellation of TV’S Greatest Show on Earth

The ASPCA has urged Turner Network Television (TNT) to immediately cancel Greatest Show on Earth, its upcoming series that touts a “behind-the-scenes” look at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.Source:ASPCA www.aspca.orgView full story

Stardust Circus Trainer killed by elephant

Forensic evidence shows that Arna the Circus Elephant crushed a worker to death.Source:news.com.au (Daily Telegraph)View full story

Cork City Council against Animal Circuses

Cork City Council passes a motion to BAN animal act circuses from using council landSource:Animal Rights Action Network (www.aran.ie)View full story

ARNA and Gigi to be retired to Western Plains Zoo

Arna and Gigi are leaving Stardust Circus and living out the rest of their lives in peace at Taronga Western Plains Zoo.Source:www.zoo.nsw.gov.au (Taronga Zoo)View full story

No Ban for Port Stephens

Port Stephens Council voted 4-7 against the ban on circuses with exotic animals.Source:Port Stephens ExaminerView full story

Animal Circus Ban in Fingal

Fingal County Council supports the ban of circuses which use wild animalsSource:Independent.ie National NewsView full story

Lion Tamer Mauled

THREE lions attacked their trainer in front of a packed family audience at a Lennon Bros Circus show at PenrithSource:Rod Smith, www.news.com.au, circuswatchwa.orgView full story